Nicole Brodeur's Names in Bold350 run in Fleet Feet fundraiser for Boston

By Nicole Brodeur
Seattle Times staff columnist

Brian Morrisondidn’t want to keep his Fleet Feet Sports running store open on the afternoon of the Boston Marathon bombings.

“It felt trivial to go about our business,” he told me. “It felt like we should close the doors and go home.”

Morrison didn’t close that day, but April 22, one week after the explosions, he did organize a run and raffle that raised $7,000 for the One Fund Boston, which helps victims recover. The New Balance shoe company agreed to match what was raised.

Some 350 people showed at the Pine Street store to run 2.62 miles (a nod to the marathon distance of 26.2), then gathered for beers at Barboza, where a raffle featured donated running shoes, North Face apparel and a signed Eddie Vedderposter from his 2011 solo stop in Boston (of course), donated by Pearl Jam’s Ten Club.

Fleet Feet also sold “Runners for Boston” shirts, which are available at the store for $20. (Cash or checks only, please.)

“This was a way to do our little part to help out,” Morrison said.

Not little at all.

Good cause with style

You can thank Cheryl Campbell’sson and daughter-in-law for the supercool Green Eileen store that just opened in Columbia City.

The store — which sells gently used and donated Eileen Fisher clothing at a discount, then donates the cash to local women’s nonprofits — is here in Seattle only because they are.

Campbell, the managing director of the Eileen Fisher Community Foundation, was visiting her son from her home in New York state last year when she saw the Rainier Avenue South space formerly inhabited by The Bookworm Exchange. After a few calls and a pitch to the boss herself (“She’s really modest and meek, the anti-Devil Wears Prada,” Campbell said of Fisher), Seattle was home to only the second Green Eileen in the country. (The other one is in Yonkers, N.Y.)

The crowded store was a smile for Cheryl Sesnon
, executive director of the Jubilee Women’s Center, on Capitol Hill, which received not only the day’s proceeds but “a huge carful” of Eileen Fisher clothes for the free boutique at Jubilee, where homeless women stay while they rebuild their personal and work lives.

The store has plans for meditation, knitting and sewing circles, and craft classes for a small fee that will — you guessed it — go to local nonprofits.

“Textiles is a dirty business,” Campbell said, a little apologetically. “There’s a lot of waste in production. It happens out of sight, and we realize our responsibility in all of it.”

Southern salute

You remember that scene at the end of “It’s a Wonderful Life” when the whole town of Bedford Falls shows up to toss banker George Bailey some cash?

It was kind of like that the other day at the US Bank Tower for newly minted President Chris Heman, when Seattle showed up to celebrate his promotion.

The only green, though, was fried pickles. In fact, the whole event had a Southern theme, with fried chicken and pimento cheese roll-ups being passed around.

“Five of my board members are from the South,” Heman explained. I guess they get to pick. (Plus, the reception was orchestrated by M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I native J.J. McKay.)

Heman is a native of Missouri, where barbecue is boss, “But that would have been hard to serve,” he said.

Indeed, these weren’t the kind of folks who like getting sauced: Bernadine Griffin, managing director of the 5th Avenue Theatre; Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata; Seattle Foundation President and former Mayor Norm Rice; artist Ginny Ruffner; and fashion maven Rose Dennis, among them.

Heman replaces longtime US Bank President Ken Kirkpatrick, who started there as a teller 41 years ago and had the good sense to marry his lovely wife, SaSa.

After the removal of a brain tumor, Kirkpatrick has had three clean MRIs and, apparently, enough of the office.

“This is an important time for them to enjoy life, stay healthy and travel,” Heman said of the Kirkpatricks. Amen to that.

As for the cash, well, Heman said the bank is doing as well as the Bailey Building and Loan Association after the credits rolled.

“We have money to lend!” he said. “Let’s put it that way.”

Nicole Brodeur’s column appears Tuesday and Sunday. Reach her at 206-464-2334 or nbrodeur@seattletimes.com.